Michael Waltrip Racing To Visit Goodwood

CORNELIUS, N.C. – Michael Waltrip Racing co-owners Michael Waltrip and Rob Kauffman are once again venturing across the Atlantic Ocean to share NASCAR with 150,000 motorsports enthusiasts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.

Waltrip will drive a No. 15 PEAK Toyota NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the festival, which features a hill climb by historic motor racing vehicles. Kauffman will drive the 1963 “Mystery Motor” Chevy Impala that NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson drove to seven victories and nine poles during the 1963 season.

“It is so cool to drop the hammer on a NASCAR Sprint Cup car and see the reaction on the faces of everyone there,” said Waltrip recalling his 2010 and 2013 trips to Goodwood. “You wouldn’t believe all of the people who are interested in NASCAR around the world. This is as close as they’ll ever be to a Sprint Cup race. I’m honored they asked me to make a few runs and it’s also cool that Rob Kauffman will show the world one of the most historic cars in our sport.”

The Goodwood Festival has become one of the largest and most diverse motorsports events in the world. The festival includes everything from modern concept cars to historical vehicles dating back to 1902, along with racecars from all disciplines. NASCAR stock cars, Formula 1 Grand Prix racers, Le Mans style cars and various forms of motorcycles will all make their run up the hill at Goodwood.

Waltrip said sharing his and NASCAR’s history is important as the sport grows globally. In 2010, Waltrip drove a No. 15 car at Goodwood painted like the car he drove to Daytona 500 victories in 2001 and 2003. Last year Waltrip drove the No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota that Clint Bowyer won three races in 2012 and finished second in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

The theme for the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed is ‘Addicted to Winning – The Unbeatable Champions of Motor Sport. This 2014 theme will celebrate the legendary drivers and riders, teams and manufacturers, who have swept all before them in their sport.

Kauffman said he feels a special honor driving Johnson’s 1963 Impala. What makes the car unique and explained its performance on the track is the incredibly rare RPO Z33 Mk II 427 “Mystery Motor” supplied by Chevrolet.

“We’re taking a significant piece of NASCAR history and sharing it with the world,” said Kauffman, the owner of RK Motors Charlotte and the Impala. “When you fire it up, no matter who you are or what form of motorsports you follow, everyone stops and looks. It’s a fantastic conversation starter.”

Some of NASCAR’s most famous names like Waltrip’s brother Darrell Waltrip, Junior Johnson, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Smokey Yunick also made appearances at Goodwood since the festival’s inception in 1993.